A Lehigh County jury convicted Miller in April of a variety of drug charges pertaining to possession and delivery of a controlled substance.

A community services coordinator who was in the prison's visitors room last June 14 said she saw Miller pass a package over a table to Urich.

A correctional officer had testified that Urich went to the men's room shortly thereafter, and eight grams of marijuana were recovered from his mouth during a strip search.

Miller denied having the marijuana and said he was showing Urich business cards and pamphlets containing prayers. He signed in as Urich's spiritual adviser.

In asking for probation, Miller's attorney, Nicholas Zanakos of Bethlehem, told the judge Miller had "significant" health problems and was a "model citizen," an Army veteran and a good father and husband.

"I don't have anything to add to what Mr. Zanakos has said," Miller said when asked by Davison if he had any comments.

His wife accompanied him to the sentencing.

"We can only conclude that you were used as a tool by a not unsophisticated inmate for whatever reasons he may have had in mind," Davison said, adding he considered Miller's health, age, lack of a prior criminal record and military service in his decision.

He said Miller would have faced jail if he were a younger man in good health.